How Strongly Can Social Media Influence and Control People’s Lives?

The Campaign for Helping People (Prita Mulyasari) from Social Media (Facebook)

What comes to your mind when you hear the term “Social Media?"
Perhaps some people thinking about the media that makes them able
to meet and communicate with people around the world. While some
others think about that, social media is the channel that gives
them the chance to send and receive many information. Others
think that social media is about the way we get many updates from
people who we follow and maybe someone out there thinks social
media is a part of a new marketing strategy.

Nowadays, social media seems like a big part of our life. When
your friends didn’t reply to your text, you can greet them on
Facebook. When you want to listen to music or see a music video
from your favorite singer – go to YouTube. When you just wake up
and open your eyes, you don’t have to walk outside to get the
newspaper, just take your phone and scroll your Twitter timeline
then you’ll get the information. Blog and Forum are also types of
social media because they allow you to share “what you think”
about articles, pictures, videos and so on. There is social media
which allows the users not only to share about their profession,
major of study, works and company, addresses, political views and
religion, but also allow them to find a job and allow the company
to find the employees. Everything looks and feels easier to do
with social media.

But from the examples above, I have a question on my mind “If
everything looks and feels easier to do with social media, isn't
something strange if society is extremely dependent on social
media. How strong can social media influence and control people’s
lives?” This question leads me to recall a case that happened
about 5 years ago.

Let me tell you a very interesting case from Indonesia about
social media. In August 2008, there was a women who has known by
Indonesian people as Prita Mulyasari. Her case begun when she
wrote about her disappointment of the services of a Hospital in
Jakarta. She told and wrote everything about the hospital and the
bad services that she got from the doctors, nurses and
administration staff. Then, she sent a message to her friends on
the mailing list. Actually, she just tried to remind her friends
to be more selective in choosing the hospital and to be more
careful in accepting many kinds of services. But, her message
became a big problem after her friend shared it to a website (the
people’s forum) with so many read and commented about the issue.

In September 2008, the management of the hospital reported Prita
Mulyasari for the bad news about the hospital that she has
spread. The management of the hospital demanded her to pay a
material loss of about Rp.161 million as a replacement for
clarification in national newspapers and Rp.100 million for
immaterial losses. She wasn’t only to pay for the hospital losses
but she was also detained in May 2009. After 8 months she went
through the inspection and verification process and was convicted
by the court for violating the law about using the ICT
(Information and Communication Technology). This case rapidly
spread among Indonesian people. As common issues, there are
always pros and cons. Although the Indonesian people weren’t
justified what Prita has done against the hospital, but most of
people in Indonesia really cared about her life and Prita’s
condition and tried to help her, at least to pay the amercement.

The first Facebook account which made by some people is (https://www.facebook.com/KoinPeduliPrita). They
were spreading “Bantu Bebaskan Prita” or “Help Free Prita” to
Indonesian People and approached them to help Prita by collecting
the coins. It didn’t take a long time. Many volunteers, social
workers, activists, students and even artists came together to
help her. They were collecting many coins from people on the
street, office, and even an entertainment center. Some singers
also held a charity concert to help her (http://koinkeadilan.com/). In December 2009, the
campaign to help Prita was finished and they succeed by
collecting the coins to help Prita raise about Rp. 825 Million.
The money was extremely worth it for Prita, although she still
had to go through the period of detainees. However, the money was
very helpful for her not only to pay the amercement but also for
her life, considering she has two kids.

I’m not trying to spread bad news about my country or discredit
someone or some institutions. I am just trying to make you
believe that social media has the strength to influence and
control people’s lives. Prita’s case clearly explains to us that
social media were able to make people’s life get worse or get
better. But, we don’t need to stay away or being anti-social
media. People are stronger than social media because we can
easily think before we act and think before we speak. There is
nothing to be worried about if we are wise when we share
something on social media.